English summary

The Danish Government’s Seamen’s Service

English Summary

The funds necessary to carry on the business of the Board are provided by means of a contribution of 270 øre per imployment-day in DIS ships, out of which 70 øre is paid by the seafarer, and 200 øre by the shipowner. In DAS ships the payment is 140 øre per imployment-day, out of which 70 øre is paid by the seafarer and 70 øre by the shipowner.

The Ship’s Club

Importance has been attached to promoting collective spare time activity and to increase possibilities for the crew of a vessel to take part in such arrangements as may be cultivated in common only. The club takes care of mutual activities such as sport and exercise, entertainment, sightseeing and excursions ashore, filmservice etc. Further, many Clubs extend their activities by procuring equipment for common use such as magazines, newspapers, literature, indoor-games, handbooks, photo enlargers, dvd-equipment, psysical exercise equipment etc.

Sports Service

All seafarer's on board Danish flag vessels are welcome to participate in our sports competition "Fit 4 Sea". You can compete in four categories. Read more here.

TV and Radio Service

Administration of TV-Service on DVDs and Radio on CDs is maintained by the Welfare-Board. The Danish State Radio and TV and the Danish TV2 are responsible for delivering programmes chosen from the last fortnight’s broadcast of productions in Danish and English.The charge of TV service is 2.000 dkr. per year for about 10 hours of TV every fortnight, all in all about 260 hours per year. The Radio service is free of charge.

Film Service and DVD Production

The crew on a vessel can subscribe and thus receive each month 6 or 9 dvd films - a total of 72 or 108 film annually. The film-cassettes are sent as airmail or taken on board by crewmembers signing on. Danish Government Seamen’s Service has the ambition to make a selection of drama, thriller, action and comedy to give variation and relaxing entertainment. After the twelve months rental period, the dvd’s must be destroyed according to copyright regulations. If you are interested in the service, please contact video@hfv.dk for further information.

The Board established in 1990 its own production of information-spots on dvd, which are being send to seafarers being member of the TV-Service and Filmservice.

Distributions of magazines and books

This service includes airmailing of weekly "Newsweek" to all Danish vessels sailing outside Danish waters. The Welfare Board publishes its own magazine HORISONT in about 2.500 copies 2 times a year. It is sent to all Danish vessels and to institutions and organizations concerned. The Maritime Library provides books for all Danish ships in Danish, English, Faroese, Polish and Russian.

Activities in Danish ports

A representative of the Welfare Office visits all ships calling Copenhagen. We offer assistance in shopping, sightseeing-tours and sports-events. A similar service is in the ports of Esbjerg, Aarhus, Kalundborg and Aalborg-Nørresundby. Annual grants are made out of the funds of the Welfare Board to the institutions in these ports.

Other Activities

In various fields the Welfare Board works in close cooperation with the Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish Welfare Boards. As part of the International cooperation a Danish welfare officer is stationed in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

The Danish Goverment’s Seamen’s Service is a member of the ISWAN (The International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network) where Director of the Welfare Board, Søren Sørensen, is a member of the Board.